


Worry

by dan_vs92



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Mystery Dad Au, Mystery Trio Origin, Trans Fiddleford H. McGucket
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 16:59:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9334373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dan_vs92/pseuds/dan_vs92
Summary: Ford has to comfort his niece waiting for his brother to get out of surgery.





	

It was a long bus ride, through it all his emotions and thoughts kept swaying erratically in his mind as he sat silently in the back of the bus watching the world pass him by. Six hours ago now, he had been a world away from the problems his brother Stanly got himself into. Even now the only reason for his trip all the way to the other side of California was a check up to give their poor mother a break from her stress after getting a phone call like that from a hospital far away from her and having to call her only reliable son she had left to check out what happened since he was only a state away.   
It was a very get in, get out ordeal for him he had decided after being woke up to his mother’s tears in what should have been the first real night of sleep in days. Early the next morning he found himself on a bus bound for California and his oldest and dearest friend would be meeting him at the bus stop to take him to the hospital to get see what needed to be done before contacting his mother about all of this. They had agreed if Stan was in critical condition she wanted to come down and make the final calls for her boy and Ford couldn’t fight her on her decision if he had wanted to.   
Around mid-day they finally arrived at the bus station an hour away from the hospital he was heading towards next, he was greeted by a familiar face he had been looking forward to seeing. He was waving enthusiastically towards him with both arms in the air, yelling out his name as if Ford really couldn’t spot his lanky friend in that shirt that just popped out.   
It was easy to forget his reason for coming to California the way he did with Fidds’s merrily chatting his ear the entire way to the car. He was told about his state of affairs with his home business and how much Tate had grown since he last saw him.   
Ford would never be able to truthfully believe the baby he helped care for in college tended to back sass his dad over trivial things. Tate was easily manageable as a babe, Ford didn’t really expect him to be a trouble maker.   
“It’s the divorce that’s gettin’ to him,” Fidds admitted as they pulled away from the bus station, “His daddy was his world and he just walked out on us like that, don’t hear nothing from him for a year and then the papers just arrived in the mail last week. It tore Tate up something awful, poor little fella just expected him to come back and maybe I did too.”   
Ford knew enough about that low life to not be surprised but he rested his hand on his friend’s shoulder trying to bring him some level of comfort noticing his knee was already bouncing.   
They hit heavy traffic at the next stop light and that’s when Fidds took a deep breath and mustered up a fake smile.   
“This visit ain’t about me though, how ya holdin’ up Ford? This must be terrifying, your brother in bad health like this.”   
It was socially unacceptable to admit he wasn’t as worried as he should be. Maybe it was shock, maybe it was the bad blood still between them but a small part of him had to question if Stanly died today would he feel anything at all?   
He loved his friend more then he would ever say he cared for another human being but he couldn’t open up to him about his confusing emotional state. So he didn’t, he changed the subject instead.   
“Fidds are you doing well financially after all this? I know that swine you called your husband brought home most of your earnings.”   
Fidds’s smile that he was barely holding up, sank at that before falling altogether. He pretended to be keeping a close eye on the road for several minutes before sighing.   
“It’ll be better when I get my business up and runnin’. I may have to get another job or two till then but it’ll all work out like it always does.”   
“You know Fidds, you and Tate are always welcome to come out with me. I have enough grant money to pay an assistant.”   
A genuine smile began creeping up his face once more.   
“Thank ya Stanford. That’s mighty kind of you, I’ll consider it.”   
Ford felt some of the knots that had been tightening in his stomach loosen at the possibility of Fidds coming to join him in Gravity Falls. The work they could accomplish together would be stupendous and a small part of him wanted someone by his side during the long nights.  
\---   
When Fidds finally parked the car, Ford’s limbs felt numb and he couldn’t move, Fidds like the saint he was didn’t comment. He pretended like the spot he chose wasn’t good enough, making up an excuse Ford didn’t catch while his brain whirled. The few extra minutes driving aimlessly around the parking lot and Fidds constant false reasoning of why he couldn’t park in this area or this spot for an almost self-parody of his superstitious beliefs helped Ford more then he would ever voice.   
It wasn’t a very long walk from the parking garage to the front entrance but it seemed to stretch as the sudden weight of finding his brother dead inside this building hit him. Arriving at the front entrance Fidds stopped Ford and pulled him into a tight hug that caught Ford by surprise but he sunk into the unexpected hug’s warmth.   
“It’s gonna be alright, Stanford,” he whispered into his ear, Ford wrapped his arms around his friend tightly thanking him for his support before taking a deep breath to pull himself together. He pulled away from his friend and gave him an over confident smile before walking ahead of him and holding the door open for his friend who raised an uncertain eyebrow at his newly discovered confidence.   
Arriving at the front desk, Ford spoke clearly and calmly about his need to see his brother something that was the opposite of what he was feeling deep inside. Fidds at his side looking ready to take charge if his friend faltered at all, Fiddleford was the Lancelot to his king Arthur.  
He expected the receptionist to simply point his way towards the room his brother was being kept in but instead she asked him to wait a moment and called someone up informing them the next of kin had arrived. Fidds rested his hand on Ford’s shoulder as if sensing the distress building in his mind. Ford smiled towards him at the action and he smiled back sliding his hand down back to his side.   
Ford kept his eyes on his fingers drumming against the counter after being asked to wait a moment. Fidds gasp made him look up quickly to find a woman in a suit pushing a little girl forward, she looked around the same age as Fidds’s own son, her cloths wrinkled and covered in dirt, torn around the edges. Eyes puffy, face bright red and wiping the snot onto her sleeve much to the older woman accompanying her’s chagrin.   
She wordless handed the girl a tissue for the child to blow her nose into and turned towards the two men in the room.   
“Dr. Pines I presume,” she addressed ignoring Fidds and turning her eyes straight towards Ford who nodded curtly to the question.   
“I am Vanesa Steal from CPS, I had a long talk with your mother a few hours ago and she guaranteed you would be here to take custody of your niece in case your brother doesn’t pull through this.”   
She held her hand out to Ford who merely stared at it until Fidds nudged him lightly in the rids and tilted his head not so subtly in her direction. He took it silently, not taking his eyes off the heart broken girl next to the woman.   
“I didn’t know I had a niece until now…” Ford admitted dumb founded at the position he found himself in.   
The case worker’s calm mask cracked for a second showing her surprise before it was easily put back in place and she gave him a small smile.  
“Well allow me to introduce you to your niece before I get you caught up to date about what will happen next.”   
The woman crouched down and gently pushed the girl forward, “Molly this is your uncle Stanford and you will be staying with him until your dad gets better.”   
Ford hadn’t interacted with children in what felt like years, not since he had taken a break from his research to come down to the Mcgucket home after the first time Fidds’s husband had left them high and dry. He crouched down to Molly’s level and was surprised when she jumped into his arms sobbing.   
Ford turned his eyes towards Fidds who smiled towards him and shrugged, his silent sign of telling Ford to use his instincts.   
Ford gently lifted the child up and bounced her awkwardly in his arms as she continued to sob clinging to him.  
Ford hadn’t held a child since Tate was a baby and this girl was too big to be considered one. She had put a death grip around his neck so it made it impossible to put her down now, so he carried her all the way to the third floor waiting, taking desperate glances over his shoulder towards Fidds for advice the entire time. Fidds for once was the one keeping his cool while ford panicked inside and out.   
“Just breathe,” he mouthed to him in the elevator, “and comfort her the best ye can.”   
Ford now fully understood how annoying his shallow advice to breathe must have sounded to his friend all through college now. This was new, unfamiliar territory Ford was in being the one to take care of and comfort a child and he wasn’t sure if he could do this full time if his brother didn’t pull through.   
The entire way there the case worker explained to him what had happened in a monotone way that distanced herself from the situation at hand but seemed to make it all too real for the child tightening her death grip around ford.   
“Your brother was attacked after his car broke down. He hid Molly in the trunk before it happened so he must have known this event was about to transpire. He took three stab wounds to the chest and is currently out of surgery but we aren’t sure if he is going to pull through yet.”   
Ford rested his hands on her messy, knotted curls and asked how long they were left on the side of road like that, she assured him not long since Stan was still conscious and begging the bystander who found him to take his girl.  
The woman left them alone in the rest area on the third floor, promising to be back in a few minutes, she just needed to locate the doctor to give Ford all the information he would need regarding his brother’s health. Ford stood there awkwardly watching the case worker disappear before Fidds gently beckoned for him to sit down next to him.   
“I’m scared,” the child finally whispered to him, in a raspy voice that didn’t seem to have been used in a long time.   
“It’s alright to be afraid sometimes…” Ford began looking towards Fidds for guidance in this matter, he has no idea what to do or what to say. Child rearing wasn’t as second nature to him as it was to Fidds   
. "I just want my dad to get better and for us to go to that home he was telling me about."   
"Molly, sweet pea, where do ya live?"   
"Dad said.... we were gonna have a home in New Mexico but -- but then Jimmy hurt him!"   
Ford side glanced to Fidds and rested his hand on Molly’s shoulder protectively. What had his brother been doing? Carelessly getting his own child involved in his criminal activities!   
"Who's Jimmy?"   
The anger towards his brother may have leaked out into his tone making the girl jump, Fidds acted quickly rubbing her back as tears began to leak from her eyes trying to remind her she was safe here with them. Through her despair, his niece was a fighter and she began taking short deep breaths to explain it a little better. Her words shook but they were still legible through her hitched sobs. She clung to Ford’s sweater and rested her head on his chest trying to find some peace listening to his beating heart.   
"My dad's friend...he used to be nice until dad made him mad..."   
Ford’s imagination was getting ahead of him as he sat in the silence listening as his niece broke off into loud sobs. Fidds, always there to take the reigns on anything Ford couldn’t handle, was rubbing her back gently. Assuring her she was safe and far away from whatever she was thinking about, saying the words Ford couldn’t find as he once more felt a deep anger towards his brother. It was one thing to ruin his own life but to drag a child down with him…   
Fidds began to change the subject trying to help pull the young child away from whatever bad thoughts were in her head.   
"Molly, I have a son yer age back at my home where we'll be staying until yer daddy is well enough to travel."   
“He will get better…won’t he?”   
She was begging with men she had only known for a small fracture of her existence that everything was going to turn out ok from this experience. The girl was a mess of anxiety and fears only wanting someone to tell her things would be OK. Fidds continued to run his fingers through her hair and Ford gently took her hand in his own, just now noticing they both shared a common trademark. He smiled at her surprised look as she examined his fingers closely, almost memorized by the fact that she had found someone similar to her during this ordeal.   
“Your dad is a fighter and always has been,” ford stated with confidence he didn’t really feel keeping one of his hands laced together with the girls six fingered hand, “it will be fine, I promise.”   
"Uncle Ford...?"   
"Yes?"   
"Can we stay here until my dad wakes up? Then we can go where ever you want?" Ford looked apprehensive at first but Fidds was already nodding his head so Ford confirmed making the child gleam with joy. There they sat as the minutes slowly crept by, Ford telling stories in full detail about his many adventures. Fidds, bless his naivety, seemed more shocked and surprised by his grotesque details then the small child did who questioned every detail. Ford chuckled seeing more of her inquisitive nature coming out.   
She reminded him more of a young Carla, many years ago unimpressed by Stan’s macho mannerisms trying to impress her and more curios and intrigued by the machine Ford was creating. Ford wondered whatever happened to Carla and if this was her child, she had her curls and if he had met her at a different time he was certain he would have seen Carla’s fiery personality in her. He wondered what his brother had done to drive Carla off if this was truly her child.   
When she had finally fallen asleep, he handed her off to Fidds and disappeared into a room to fill out the official documentation that appointed him temporary guardian until Stan pulled through. He decided then and there that he was going to make the right decision for once and invite Stan to live with him, if only for the sake of his niece. He had enough grant money at his disposal to have two assistants. It was a long and cold night sleeping out in the lobby but ford had made the promise to not leave until the girl’s father was awake and she could see for herself he was going to pull through. So instead of going back to Fidds's home for a comfortable night, they stayed slumped against one another waiting for news that Stan was going to be ok.   
\---   
Ford woke with a start the next moment, head awkwardly hanging in the air after Fidds who he had been using as a pillow had run off somewhere. He shifted his niece in his arms gently before getting up to look for his friend. He heard him before he saw him, his hushed voice carrying down the quiet, empty hall way.   
“I know Thistleburt is a little strange Tate darlin’, but just deal with him until I get home. I’m bringing your uncle Stanford with me and he’ll be staying with us until his brother gets better.”   
Fidds chuckled at something his son said, “No I don’t think Stanford has been kidnapped by the saucer men.”   
“I have not but I have been in one of their space crafts,” Ford said and smiled smugly as Fidds jumped and smiled towards Ford.   
“I gotta go Tater Tot give my love to your cousin and behave yourself until I come home.”   
Fidds kissed the receiver before hanging up the phone and turning towards Ford, “I didn’t want to wake ya so I went to check on Tate and now I’m thinking of getting some coffee, would you like to join me?”  
Ford smiled and nodded in agreement, Molly dead asleep in his arms still after the restless days she had spent up worried about her dad’s health, drool was soaking into Ford’s arm but he ignored it and patted the girl of the head before shifting her once more.   
She stayed asleep, nothing more than a log in his arms, while he had a pleasant experience talking with his old friend, it was very relaxing and helped Ford unwind.   
“Fidds, you don’t know how much this means to me that you are going out your way to help me like this.”   
“It’s really no problem Stanford, I know you would do the same for me.”   
“I know you said you would consider but I am asking as a friend that you come out to Gravity Falls with us after everything is settled here. If Stan doesn’t pull through...”   
Fidds looked at the girl with a melancholy expression resting his hand on Ford, “I suppose I could use a change of scenery any who, I miss the country air and that setting would do Tate a world of good.”   
Ford’s smile could outshine the sun that was just beginning to crack through the window. They stayed in the cafeteria until noon when Molly was beginning to stir awake, her morning breath hitting Ford full force as she yawned right in his face. Fidds lightly scolded her like he would his own child and took her by the hand to get something to eat. She looked back at Ford who waved her off with a smile guaranteeing he would still be here for her when she got back.   
Half way through her meal, a nurse approached Ford and told him in a hushed voice after he excused himself from the table that his brother was awake. He smiled towards Fidds and Molly and called he would be back soon, they should stay there and finish their meal. He left his own food there, half eaten and not to be touched again.   
Ford followed her back to a private room his brother got all to himself to recover in and the first thing he did when he saw his brother in ten years was glare towards him. Stan took the action well enough, eye swollen shut and the other squinting he looked like hell with the IV tubes still in and bruises covering him from the fight the social worker had eluded to him the night before but he still managed a smug smile. It made Ford’s blood boil more, maybe this was just a reaction of seeing the damage he had done to his niece or if this was just a reaction towards some of the own pain he had carried with him over the years, but Ford was mad to see his brother.   
“S-sixer, nice to see ya…” he rasped out while the nurse checked the machines next to him before moving his bed up for him to be more comfortable, she excused herself from the brothers and promised to return in a few minutes with the doctor.   
Ford remained quiet for a minute trying to find the word he was looking for but he didn’t catch it in time before his brother’s mouth began running again. After losing so much blood and being in a medically induced coma not too long ago, it was a miracle he had the strength to keep talking. His brother really hadn’t changed.   
“Ya meet Molly?”   
“I had the pleasure last night, she wasn’t quite herself but what do you expect when her father gets her involved in gang related activity,” Ford stated bluntly the image of the poor melancholy child he had left with Fidds not to long ago not leaving his mind.   
“What is that supposed to mean?” Stan hissed, his voice still weak but his eyes burning. Even in his condition, Ford knew he would still try to sock his brother one.   
“You are just as irresponsible as you were when we last saw one and another, you nearly gave mom heart failure and you nearly got your own child killed!” Ford’s voice was rising but he didn’t care at the moment, “How have you survived this long on your own?!”   
“It wasn’t easy without a family who cared I’ll tell you that much!” Stan barked out and Ford seemed to deflate in front of him but his pride wouldn’t let him apologize yet. They stared each other down for a few more minutes before the doctor returned and cut them both off. He prattled on about Stan’s condition, Ford occasionally cutting him off and Stan sneered as he acted like the know it all he was listing treatment plans he felt would get Stan on his feet faster.   
After the doctor’s check up with Ford hovering behind them watching the doctor do his job and making comments on everything he did, Ford left leaving everything up in the air and unresolved for now. To be mended in the future with time and after they relearned to love each other and mended all the pain still festering between them.   
\---   
Stan cracked his eyes open at the sound of something clanking at his bedside, his first instinct was Molly was getting into something she shouldn’t be but was surprised by the lanky stranger positioning a bouquet of flowers and a slew of get well cards on his bedside table. He kept his eyes half lidded and watched the stranger do a pretty accurate forgery of his brother’s signature. His wheezy chuckle made the man jump to his amusement.   
“Oh Stanly, it’s wonderful to see ya awake,” the stranger stuttered out, face beginning to burn a red just as intense as wherever he got that accent from.   
“I wanted to come and check on you personally after the fight you got into with Ford. From what I heard he said some pretty nasty things but he doesn’t really mean that. He was only hurt, I’m sure he will apologize personally soon enough.”   
“Who are you? My brother’s secretary here to smooth out his mistakes?” Stan croaked out keeping his frown directed right at the southern willow wisp in front of him.   
“I think I may have taken a job offer to his scientific assistant but it’s a little demeaning of ya to call me a secretary,” the stranger said trying to sound confident but Stan caught the nervous breathes at the edge of his speech, “But where are my manners, Fiddleford Mcgucket, pleasure to have your acquaintance Stanly, I’ve heard a lot about ya.”   
“Good things I hope.”   
“Only from Molly.”   
“Figures.”  
Stan didn’t extend his own hand to take ‘Fiddleford’s’ and after a few very tense moments, he smiled and dropped his hand.   
“I know he didn’t bring it up yesterday but he wants to help you and Molly and if I may, I do as well. I know how hard it can be to be a single father and try to do everything on your own.”   
Stan didn’t say anything to the stranger he watched him continue to fuss with the cards and flowers, rearranging them, straightening and unstraightening them just to give his hands something to do while he tried to find the nerve and just the right words to keep talking during every moment of silence.   
“He wants to offer you a job as an assistant in his research facility to give you and Molly somewhere to live if you would like to take it.”   
“Let me give you some advice, Fiddlesticks, don’t try to clean up my brother’s messes, it won’t get ya far.”   
Fidds was turning a brighter shade of red, busying himself with fluffing the flowers and arranging the cards he had just put up to be more orderly and pleasing to the eye, even if the cards he had bought were some of the tackiest and childish things Stan had ever seen, Molly would have had better taste then this man.   
“How are ya feeling Stanly? The doctor says it should be a painful recovery, would ya like anything?”   
“I wanna see my daughter,” he grunted out not particularly feeling like humoring his brother’s care keeper, his mood was as shitty as he felt this morning.   
To Stan’s surprise, he didn’t seem to mind his demand, no protests or asks of him to be politer, he simply smiled patiently, no doubt used to this behavior from his brother.   
“Of course, I wouldn’t want to keep ya separated, in yer situation I would be wantin’ my son the moment I woke up.”   
He didn’t even have to completely open the door before Stan caught a blur of curls racing towards his bedside. He caught his girl, holding the moan of pain behind gritted teeth passing as a smile as she caught him in just the right spot.   
He caught his brother in the door way giving suspicious glances towards the flowers and towards his assistant who smiled and ushered him wordlessly out of the room allowing Stan and Molly to have their privacy.   
“Don’t ever scare me again!” the six-year-old wailed into his shoulder and he sighed sadly knowing the only way to keep that promise was surrendering his pride and taking his brother’s offer. He could push his pride back enough though to endear it for her safety, he had to.   
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with the nerdy bean pole and his kid around to help keep some peace between the brothers and help Molly gain some stability Stan feared he had robbed from her back. He kissed her on the top of the head as she continued to sob, he was going to be a good father now and make this right.


End file.
